READY AYE READY

Traffic Guard (USA)
(Photo : Greig Muir)

“The Western World’s current standard-bearer of the Halo-line,
More Than Ready”

Stallion masters are always on the lookout for the sons of emerging sires of sires, and there’s no horse right now with better dual hemisphere credentials in this department, than the Western World’s current standard-bearer of the Halo-line, More Than Ready. The jet black hero of America’s greatest stallion-maker, Saratoga’s King’s Bishop Stakes (Gr.1), has shown his mettle in both hemispheres, and looks to be America’s counterpart to Japan’s Sunday Silence in the perpetuation of the strain.

As matters stand, his unbeaten son Verrazano, is the ruling favourite for America’s marquee horse race, the Kentucky Derby (Gr.1), while Down Under, his sons Sebring and Perfectly Ready, have already made their marks with their debut crops. Leading the charge is the Golden Slipper ace, Sebring, whose son Criterion overcame a wide run to claim the laurels in last week’s Black Opal Stakes (Listed) in Canberra. In doing so, the David Payne-trained chestnut guaranteed himself a berth in next month’s Golden Slipper (Gr.1) and a shot at the $2million first prize. A day later, the Sebring fillies Bring A Ring and Australia Day finished first and third in the Sporting Bet Classic (Listed) on Adelaide Cup day at Morphettville, placing Sebring bang in the mix for first season stallion honours with Real Saga.

Across the Tasman, Perfectly Ready shaded Darci Brahma for the Freshman Sires’ title in the 2011 season, some feat considering Darci Brahma is considered one of New Zealand’s brightest hopes of finding a replacement for the aging Zabeel.

The Verrazano story is interesting, if only because his acquisition by the Irish reveals the state of play in the broader international battle for world dominance of the stud scene between the game’s two titans, Coolmore and Darley. Four years ago, Sheikh Mohammed made his intentions clear when he corned the market’s outstanding prospects, splurging more than $200million on the top four colts of their American generation, Breeders Cup and Kentucky Derby hero Street Sense, the King’s Bishop victor Hard Spun, dual Group One winner Any Given Saturday, and champion sprinter, Street Boss, all of them going to stud in the same year as Sheikh Mohammed’s outstanding homebred, Bernardini. Of these, Bernardini is the obvious standout, while Hard Spun has featured promisingly, though for the time being, you’d have to describe him as the “nearly” horse. More recently though, the Arab contingent have gone quiet relatively speaking, while Coolmore have been alert to every opportunity, with a stream of top class stallion prospects in Europe, as well as getting first bite of the cherry among the generation leaders of the past couple of seasons in the United States. Coolmore already have a top son in Majestic Warrior, they have secured consecutive juvenile champions, Lookin’ At Lucky and Uncle Mo, besides A.P. Indy’s highly performed son, Stay Thirsty. And now, as exciting as any, Verrazano.

They continue to be active wherever they can find them, and they have the added ace up their sleeves in the Aussie-bred Fastnet Rock, whose numbers at stud are eclipsing even those of his phenomenal sire, Danehill, and whose sons by a stretch are the most sought after commodity in the Southern Hemisphere, almost to the exclusion of all else. It would be intriguing to know what bookmakers are quoting on the outcome of this one.

P.S. Europe’s best performed son of More Than Ready is Traffic Guard (Timeform rating 123) who commenced duties here last season.

Enquiries :
Linda Norval +27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email linda@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

IN THE MOOD AT INGLIS EASTER

Lot 445 Street Cry (IRE) - Tugela (USA)
(Photo : Inglis)

INGLIS EASTER YEARLING SALE
10 - 12 April 2012

While not reaching the heights of Wednesday’s session of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Thursday’s third and final round of bidding provided a few fireworks of its own, led by a A$1.2-million final bid for Lot 445, a Street Cry (Ire) half-brother to Horse of the Year and three-time G1 Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King). The action quickly reached the seven-figure mark before topping out with a winning salvo from trainer Peter Moody, one of Australia’s top trainers responsible for the racetrack exploits of the nation’s superstar Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit).

“He’s a real trainer’s horse, and doesn’t look like a show pony,” said Moody shortly after the purchase. “He’s not Makybe’s brother now, he’s a racehorse, so I hope we can make him one.” The colt was consigned by Makybe, the same operation that sold a Redoute’s Choice (Aus) half-sister to Black Caviar for A$2.6 million the previous day.

In addition to the A$14.5-million earner, the 17-year old Tugela (Riverman) has produced two additional group winners - Musket (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice) and Valkyrie Diva (Aus) (Jade Robbery).

“I’ve seen all of that mare’s foals, except Makybe Diva as a foal, and she was the nicest foal she had thrown,” admitted Moody. “I really liked the colt, so I was very attracted to him.” The colt’s sire, Darley’s Street Cry, has been responsible for several champions in the U.S., including G1 Kentucky Derby hero and champion sophomore Street Sense and Horse of the Year Zenyatta, but he has also earned distinction down under, siring the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking (Aus). “Street Cry has done a tremendous job here,” said Moody. “I haven’t had much experience with him, but I was very taken with him as an individual and obviously, mom is a damn good producer.”

Final Results

Final	2012	2011
Catalogued	451	417
No. Offered	398	383
No. Sold	330	310
RNA’s	68	73
% RNA	17%	19%
High Price	A$2,600,000	A$1,025,000
Gross	A$72,825,000	A$74,240,000
Average (% change)	A$220,682 (-7.9%)	A$239,484
Median (% change)	A$160,000 (-11.1%)	A$180,000

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

READY TO RUN SALE 2011 : BIG NUMBERS AND BIG NAMES

Lot 176 The Italian Job (AUS) (Street Sense (USA) - Albanella (GER))
(Consigner : Summerhill Stud)

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
6 November 2011

Nico KritsiotisIt’s “Gallops” week for the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale, and so the performance of Bloodstock markets around the world was always going to be of topical interest to South African horsemen. Europe’s premier sale of yearlings, at Tattersalls in England, wound up this week with staggering gains in average and median ranging between 32% and 41%. This follows hard on the heels of a mightily successful Keeneland September, America’s number one vendue, which reminds us that there is a point beneath which horsemen with an appreciation for the inherent quality of bloodstock, will not allow values to descend. The desire of one rich man to beat the next rich man for racing’s biggest prizes remains as compelling as ever, and it’s worth remembering that next year in South Africa, there will still be Vodacom Durban Julys, J&B Mets and Summer Cups to be won, not to mention the R2million Ready To Run Cup.

This is obviously heartening news for consignors to this year’s Ready To Run Sale, where the catalogue advertises a record entry of foreign-breds (25) for any sale in South Africa, despite the limitation of this one to a 160-odd entries. The progeny of Galileo were the star performers at the English sale, following a season in which his runners have broken every conceivable record in terms of major races, and we were reminded here just how good a stallion he is, in the exploits of Igugu, our 2011 Horse of the Year. Interestingly, the Summerhill draft includes a colt from the immediate family of Galileo and his illustrious half-brother, Sea The Stars, a son from the first Southern hemisphere-bred crop of Street Sense, the only horse in history to have won a Breeder’s Cup Juvenile and the Kentucky Derby.

He’s no one-horse pony trick however, as there are any number of world class sires scattered about the catalogue, including four youngsters by Rock of Gibraltar, who, on Saturday, notched up his 15^th and 16^th Group winners for this season alone. The record books tell us this is an achievement without precedent in South African breeding.

The gallops are staged at Turffontein on Wednesday, 12^th October and then there’s the big one at Summerhill Stud on Friday, 14^th October at 11h00 sharp. The “one-two” finish of graduates of the sale in this year’s Vodacom Durban July has obviously stirred the interests of horsemen, and Summerhill has been a hive of visitors to see the horses, including perennial KZN Champion trainer, Dennis Drier and 2009 National Champion trainer, Charles Laird. Wednesday and Thursday witnesses an influx of visitors from around the world to the Midlands nursery, as well as the panellists Mike de Kock, Jehan Malherbe, Joey Ramsden, Sean Tarry, Graeme Hawkins, Dean Kannemeyer, Michael Roberts, Craig Peters and celebrated international guest, Kip Elser, whose job it is to make their fancies for the sale known to the public once the gallops have been concluded. There is no other sale in the world that provides this service, and the number of people that remain behind to hear the views of these learned gentleman, is testimony to the success of what has now been a feature of the Summerhill Gallops for five years, and the popularity of which is revealed in the thousands of people who visit the Summerhill website in the aftermath of the gallops.

There are some interesting insights on these gentlemen on their website, (www.summerhill.co.za) parts of which I have reproduced here with their kind permission :

MIKE DE KOCK
	He’s the man everyone wants to know. He’s become the idol of a social set to which he never belonged, and to which, you suspect, he never wanted to belong. De Kock knows the rich and famous, he has himself become rich and famous. Yet fame has not changed him, not outwardly anyway. He doesn’t conform. He can’t; he isn’t like anyone else.

JOEY RAMSDEN
	Has a pedigree as deep as the game itself. On his way to the mountaintop. Takes a few scalps en route. His CV includes “Picked Igugu”. His obituary will say the same.

DEAN KANNEMEYER
	Horses from his toes to the top of his head. Nothing left to prove. One of the best. Dean’s charges do the talking for him. They speak well.

MICHAEL ROBERTS
	Taught the British how to ride. A legend long before his time, from Japan to the United States.

GRAEME HAWKINS
	Simply put, ‘Mr Racing’. Commentator, auctioneer and administrator, he sees them coming, while others search for clues.

JEHAN MALHERBE
	Serves some of the biggest names in racing. When he wants to, he can say absolutely nothing with a stare that would guarantee him high political office if ever tired of his commentary rituals at Kenilworth.

SEAN TARRY
	National Colour, Mythical Flight, Successful Bidder to name a few. A meteoric rise through the ranks, this rocket’s got momentum, and it ain’t stoppin’ here. The powder’s dry, and the bullets are blasting.

CRAIG PETERS
	Master of his profession, and a walking encylopedia on the game. His binoculars bring a special dimension to the gallops.

KIP ELSER

Special international guest Kip Elser is one of the leading exponents of the art of prepping Ready To Run horses in the USA. Kip’s triumphs include 2011 Kentucky Oaks (Gr1) heroine, Plum Pretty, and Garden City (Gr1) ace Winter Memories, as well as champions Smoke Glacken and Alphabet Soup, Sharp Cat, Royal Anthem, Memories of Silver, and a further two Kentucky Oaks winners in Keeper Hill and Gal In A Ruckus. His Kirkwood Stables has several times sold the top priced horse at the American Breeze-Ups.

Extract from www.sportingpost.co.za

For more information please visit :

www.tba.co.za
and
www.summerhill.co.za

THE BIGGEST FOREIGN-BRED ENTRY IN HISTORY

Click above to watch Hollywoodboulevard winning the 2010 Emperors Palace Ready Cup…
(Photo : JC Photographics - Footage : Tellytrack)

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
6 November 2011

Remembering the stirring finish to last year’s
Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup?

Hollywoodboulevard and Igugu.

There are 19 imports in the Summerhill draft, by champion/leading sires :

Danehill Dancer, Forestry, El Prado (3), Rock Of Gibraltar (4), Street Sense, Churchill Downs, Dylan Thomas, Tale Of The Cat, Giacomo, Johannesburg, Macho Uno, Royal Academy (2) and Thunder Gulch.

NEVER BEFORE; PERHAPS NEVER AGAIN.

The Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale
Sunday 6th November

*Six cheque payment scheme for qualifying buyers.

Enquiries :
Linda Norval 27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email linda@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

BORN TO SEA : BORN TO RULE

Click above to watch Born To Sea winning the Blenheim Stakes (L)
(Image : V.Chandler - Footage : All The Doyles)

BORN TO RULE

If ever a horse was born into greatness, it had to be a sibling of the greatest stallion of our era, Galileo, and of arguably the best racehorse of the last decade, Sea The Stars. That horse is Born To Sea, who debuted in the very race that rocketed Brave Tin Soldier to stardom as a juvenile, the Blenheim Stakes (Listed) at 1200m at The Curragh. It wasn’t that he won it, it was the way he won it, and while his trainer John Oxx was loathe to draw comparisons with his illustrious brothers, he did say he had some big plans for the colt.

The son of Invincible Spirit (a sprinting son of Green Desert) is said to be an imposing looking individual, who ought to be better suited by longer distances. His dam, Urban Sea, was an “Arc” winner at 2400m, and both of her most illustrious progeny excelled at that distance. Of course, there’s no guarantee Born To Sea will stay any sort of a trip, but the Invincible Spirits have at least shown some versatility, the odd one (Lawman), prevailing in the French Derby at 2000m. (The French can be different, as we know, and their Derby is 2000m, not the conventional European 2400m).

Interestingly, in the same week, the only horse in history to have won a Breeder’s Cup Juvenile and a Kentucky Derby, Street Sense, celebrated some notable successes in the Keeneland salesring, no doubt on the back of what horsemen know of his progeny, and in a week in which several of his first crop put up convincing performances. With his credentials, few would be surprised to see Street Sense emerge as a cracking sire; we’ve seen a number of them at Southern Hemisphere sales, and they look the sort to find their best in their classic years. Anything that comes to pass while they’re juveniles (as they are at the moment), is a bonus. On the face of what we’ve seen so far, there’s cause for the crew at Darley America to have smiles on their dials.

We have a small syndicate of investors at Summerhill who annually raid the weanling sales in Australia, and in the context of this story, they seem to have hit the jackpot. They have a son of Street Sense who’s being aimed at the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale, from the immediate family of Galileo, Sea The Stars and Born To Sea. That’s not the kind of pedigree you’d expect to see at a sale in this country, and it’s a rare jackpot, not only for the vendors, but for anyone among the investing public with a modicum of Street Sense.

The Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale
Sunday 6th November

*Six cheque payment scheme for qualifying buyers.

Enquiries :
Linda Norval 27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email linda@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za